Check Out these 5 Guys Who Wake Up at 4 a.m. to Work Out Let Them Tell You How They Do It.

Posted on February 15, 2016
by Beth Hartman

Squeezing in a workout before the rest of the world is even awake takes an extreme amount of willpower and dedication, and maybe a bit of insanity. But if you work at it, anyone can become an early riser, says Men’s Health sleep advisor W. Christopher Winter, M.D.

So learn from the masters. These five guys, below, get up every morning at 4 a.m. to break a sweat. Here’s how they do it.

Picture Your RivalsName: John B.Location: Fort Stewart, GeorgiaJohn’s a former drill sergeant, but that doesn’t mean a 4 a.m. wakeup call comes easy. So Burk remembers an old military mantra to drag himself out of bed: “You may be tired or hurting, but there is someone somewhere training harder to kill you.’”

He then applies that saying to his current goals. Right now, the vet is training for a bodybuilding competition. “All I can see is this blank figure, this silhouette, and he’s training even harder than me to beat me on that stage,” he says.

Make It As Easy As Possible

Name: Richard R.Location: Fort Langley, British Columbia Richards’ alarm clock goes off at 3:50 a.m., and he’s out the door on a run just minutes later.

His quick turnaround is due to the fact that his clothes, coffee, and breakfast are all ready when he wakes up. Even his socks and the coffee scooper are laid out waiting for him. He doesn’t need to think about anything.

The longer your to-do list in the morning, the easier it is to stay in bed, Rich says. So prepping every last detail the night before eliminates excuses.

Remember How Crappy You Feel When You Miss a Workout

Name: Tom C.Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

There are a million excuses to not get out of bed—you’re tired, it looks like rain, you’re sore. But Tom says to ask yourself one question: Have you ever regretted a workout?

The answer is probably no. You’ll definitely be sorry you skipped a workout, though. “If I miss a workout, I’m in a bad mood,” says Tom. Thinking about that may just be enough to outweigh the pros of sleeping for an extra hour. And you don’t even need to go anywhere. You can get a great total-body workout in the comfort of your own home with various training videos, just pop in your favorite and if your like me, sweat to the oldies!!!

Think about TomorrowName: Joseph E.Location: Atlanta, Georgia

When Joe wakes up early to train for 140.6-mile Iron-man race, he thinks about the long-term benefits. Sure, devoting early mornings to training will make him faster and stronger. But they’ll also make race day more bearable—maybe even enjoyable, he says. It’s the difference between crossing the finish line with a smile or a grimace on his face.

So remind yourself of the end result—the whole reason you’re doing this. Whether it’s keeping up with your kids in the backyard, going shirtless at the beach, or running your first 5K without getting winded, imagine exactly how you’ll feel in the moment that you conquer your goal.

Getting up early starts the night before. Craig recommends setting an alarm to go off an hour before the time you want to hit the hay. Use those 60 minutes to wind down. Stop looking at electronics, try making tomorrow’s lunch, or read a book instead. The goal: Get your mind to turn off, so you can go down for a full night’s sleep. If you’re still buzzing with ideas or to-do lists, dump it all onto a pad of paper, Craig says. Writing out what’s on your mind will help clear your head.

So you see, there are ways to get up in the morning before the sun. Most people that have adopted this type of lifestyle, feel more invigorated and have a happier outlook in doing their day-to-day tasks. They already feel they have accomplished something and do not have to feel pushed to get in a workout after finishing off their normal workday routines.